Abysmal Adventure
by Emberstar-phoenix lover
Summary: (A slightly more serious take on "Abyssimal Adventures"). Featuring Star, Raven, Blaze, and Shadow, the four friends set out into the world of Auldrant. However, when the mysterious celestial being known as Yulia Jue appears, the four will have to make a slight detour from the game's plot line to take care of unfinished business. 4 OC's, no pairings as of now.
1. Chapter 1: Beginning

**Dearest readers, thank you for coming back to read the rewrite. For those of you that are new, welcome. I hope you enjoy my rewrite that is a little more serious than before. Enjoy~**

**Chapter 1:**

"Claire! Go change and set the table for supper!"  
I lazily glanced up from my half-written text message and got up from the creaky bed with a sigh. Glancing in the mirror to appraise my hair and loose clothing, I grabbed a red and white sweater dress and some leggings from the dresser nearby. Mom was busily bustling around downstairs trying to cook supper for the three expected guests that would be joining us in the evening. The smell of meat grilling motivated me to dress quickly and then charge down the stairs to the kitchen. I moved around Mom as she grilled the meat to perfection and stabbed spices into it prematurely. I grabbed the plates and cups and set seven places as she flipped the meat on the grill behind me. I heard the oven beep angrily for the fourth time as the smell of bread became a little more toasty than usual.

"Claire, go check on Leon please! Oh, that looks nice dear." She weaved around me carrying a basket of crescent rolls seconds later and set them down next to the folded up table cloth. I rolled my eyes and walked into the living room where Leon usually sat to color in the evening. I found him stretched out next to the fireplace scribbling something in his coloring book.

"Hey Leon." I cooed and sat down next to him. He paid me no mind and continued to color in his firetruck. I glanced up when I saw bright car lights turn the corner and pull into the drive way. Leon got up and toddled away to the kitchen to present his colored picture to Mom. "Mom, they're here!" I shouted. With a smile, I stood up and opened the door as my three friends walked to the front door.

"Hey Star!" Raven shouted, "It's really windy out here!". I smiled and waved back as they climbed the porch steps.

"Raven, Blaze, Shadow, it's nice to see you." I looked over my three friends individually. Raven's bobbed brunette hair came into the house first, followed by Shadow's spiky black hair. Finally, Blaze trotted in scratching his blond jagged hair. I closed the door and turned to face the three. Shadow had already moved to the couch and Raven had relocated herself to the nearest food item. Blaze remained courteously and joked with me about the other two.

"Supper time!" Mom called from the kitchen. Shadow, Blaze, and I all rushed into the kitchen to see Raven practically vibrating in her chair trying not to take a roll. My older brother, Adam, walked in moments later harassing Leon and Mia into their chairs. Mia hollered at him angrily until Mom intervened and sat the two down. "Let's say grace." Mom spoke the prayer and my friends stayed silent during our families prayer.

After supper, I followed my friends into the living room and fired up the PS2. "What do you guys want to play?" I asked as the system ejected _Tales of the Abyss_ into my hand.

"What's that game?" Raven chirped trying to see the title.

"Oh, Tales of the Abyss. It's another tales game." I replied and debated on sticking it back into its case. "I've been trying to go back and do all the 2nd playthrough side quests again." I lit up at a sudden idea, "Do you want to see a really funny scene? I saved right before it."

"Sure." Raven leaned back into the couch and messed with Shadow's toes. Shadow batted her hands away and kicked Raven in the back of the head. She shared a small laugh with Blaze while Raven glared at the back of her head. She shrieked in surprise when Raven suddenly flopped on her and refused to get off. I threw Blaze a controller and hooked up the game.

"Alright, this is where-" I was interrupted by a sudden crash. All four of us turned our heads to see the lawn chair smashing against the patio's glass table. It was continuously thrown into the table by the ferocious winds.

"Oh!" I exclaimed and got up to fix the problem.

Blaze whistled lowly,"That wind is something else...". I slid open the patio door and walked outside towards the chair. I was nearly knocked over the torrent of air that suddenly blasted from the east. Raven and Shadow giggled as I did an odd hop trying to keep precious balance.

"It's not funny!" I whined. I grabbed the chair and tucked it back into the corner of the house where the wind would not blow it so much. Raven and Shadow came out to help move the rest of the chairs into a safer area.

"Much better." I sighed and walked back into the house. I reassured Mom that a robber wasn't trying to break in and sat down next to Blaze. He seemed entranced by the opening theme guitar solo.

"And they say the men do all the work." Raven snapped playfully. Blaze looked up embarrassed and grinned, "I knew you could handle it."

I opened the save file and selected my old file. And there, lo and behold, Peony stood, trying to get the girls to beg for him. "He's fabulous." Shadow snickered and made comments regarding his pants.

"That's the emperor." I grinned and tapped X every so often. "He runs the opposing country of the main character. He also has a pig obsession."

"He reminds me of Cuzco. But instead of buildings, he wants pigs," Raven giggled and made jokes with Shadow on how he'd tear down a village for a pig farm.

"They're actually called rapp-" I gasped suddenly as the lights flicked out as did the game. "No, nonono!" I cursed silently and looked out the window. The neighboring houses electricity was flicking on and off ominously. I sighed and came to the conclusion that something must have hit the power line. "Oh dear, I think the wind knocked something into the power line. Sorry guys." Leon screeched angrily from somewhere upstairs and Mom went about to calming the 6 year old.

"Woah...hey guys, check this out!" Raven waved impatiently for us to come over to her. When I arrived at the glass patio door, I felt my jaw slacken.

There, in the normally beautiful afternoon sky, was what appeared to be a swirling black hole. It drew in the cloud around it and spun quickly.

"It's the beginnings of a tornado!" Blaze shouted, "Everyone, to the basement!"

"Tornadoes don't look like that!" I cried out.

That was the last thing said before the patio door suddenly exploded into a million shattered pieces and the world spun out of control.

* * *

"Ugh..." I opened my eyes slowly before quickly shutting them when bright light streamed in. "Huh...?" I wiggled around trying to find out what bed I had accidentally fallen asleep in. I knew it wasn't mine since there was no creaking and I suddenly knew it wasn't a bed at the loud cracking sound. I opened my eyes alarmed and saw that I was not in a room, but in fact, I was hanging from a tree branch suspended by the branch in my sweater dress. My heart seized a little at the realization and I didn't dare look down.

"..." I held my breath and ever so slowly turned to see if the branch was close to snapping. Unfortunately, it was because of my previous squirming, but it didn't look like it would snap anytime soon. Or at least, that's what I thought until I heard a distant 'BANG!' and felt the shock wave coming. I prayed silently for mercy and screamed when the branch snapped and sent me plummeting to the ground.

Luckily, the branch was only a few feet off the ground. However, I didn't remain unscathed. The branch that had previously held me up came down and whacked me in the back.

"Ow..." I groaned and got up. I freed my slightly torn dress from the evil clutches of the branch and dusted off what I could from the black leggings. I rubbed my bare feet and looked around for something to identify where I had fallen. "Where am I? Did the tornado throw me into the woods somewhere?" I looked around again before ultimately giving up. There was no way I could identify anything to tell me where I was. I had certainly never seen the foliage around me before and I hadn't ever taken any horticulture classes.

I heard a rustle behind me and saw a giant catlike creature limp out. It gazed at me and kicked into attack mode in a split second. It snarled and lunged at me.

Screaming, I turned tail and ran away from it as fast as my legs could carry me. Of course, I was pinned to the ground in a split second with claws starting to sink into my back. "Ow, ow Ow OW!" I screeched and started to panic. There was another boom and this time, the shock wave sent us both flying. The sky turned dark for a moment before regaining its former color. I scrambled to my feet and took off before I had even realized what had just happened. I heard the great beast get up and lumber behind me roaring angrily.

I skidded to a stop and squeezed down in between the roots of a large tree. I scooted back to the wall quickly as it thrust its claws into the gap and tried to hook my stomach with them. After 15 minutes of pure terror, it finally gave up and stalked away, looking for new prey. I wheezed quietly and rubbed my throbbing feet carefully.

"Mewww?"

I froze up and slowly turned around to see a little fluffball curled up in the back, staring at me with huge innocent eyes. I breathed a sigh of relief and stared at it. "...What.. are you?" Its huge ears flopped a little as it sat up and toddled over to me. It was pink-ish and white and had the cutest little eyes and posture I had ever seen. It stuck its head in my lap and mewed quietly shaking a little.

As an animal lover, I felt a swell of pride in myself. I pet it gently and held back a quiet coo. There was another scuffling outside the tree and right as I looked up, the same cat like thing from before fell in front of the tree roots, dead. I shrieked and covered my mouth quickly. The thing in my lap squeaked and got up quickly.

"Did you hear something?" I heard a deep tenor ask. The little creature in my lap sprinting out of the roots and away from the area.

"It was just a cheagle. Come on. Let's go before Arietta finds that we killed another one of her friends." Three pairs of boots scuttled on by, each varying sizes. One of them had definitely been a females boots, since it had sharp looking heels on it. I peeked out the roots and saw a wave of red disappear into the forest.

"...Phew..." I slowly climbed out and groaned at the throbbing in my back and feet. I gave the cat like corpse a swift kick as petty revenge and started on my way. It was only after a while that the words 'cheagle' and 'Arietta' kicked in. '_Cheagle... Where have I heard that before...?' _ I wondered. I froze in my tracks when several militia dressed people surrounded me suddenly, appearing out of the woods from no where.

"Stop right there! You are under arrest!" One of them crowed. I gasped quietly and stood stock still as they came over and clicked handcuffs onto my wrists.

"Wait, can you tell me where I am?" I asked as they led me through the forest. The men remained silent and steered me along the winding path until we emerged out of the forest. Lo and behold, a giant tank like thing was sitting idle in front of the woods. A man with bronze hair was just stepping into the hatch when the men alerted his attention. He paused and turned around to see us and that's when it all clicked.

Jade Curtis looked down at me with his narrow red eyes and his infamous smile. "Tales of the Abyss..." I muttered quietly in shock. He slowly came back down the stairs and paused to look at me.

"Where are you from?" He asked smoothly. Tongue tied, I continued to stare at him unsure of what to answer. "En-Engave."

He looked me up and down and smiled a little. "Oh, perfect timing. We were just heading back. Come, let me give you a ride." He made a signal and they unlocked the handcuffs on my wrist. I rubbed them and was escorted along the rail of the ship. I swallowed hard, knowing that we weren't going to Engave. I couldn't say anything through since we were in Malkuth territory and as a good little farmer, I wouldn't know what was going on.

Quietly lamenting every decision up to this point, I timidly followed the Necromancer into the darkness of the ship.

**End of chapter 1...**

**And now, a word from our sponsors:**

**Jade: I don't see how talking here will benefit anyone but if I may conclude the likeliness of this story ever becoming popular, I would have to conclude that it will be a total fai-**

**E(mber)S(tar): - Ahaha yes, success! Thank you for the compliment!**

**Jade:... -pushes up glasses-**


	2. Chapter 2: Attack!

**Good, you've made it to Chapter 2. X3 That means it was at least somewhat interesting.**

**Asch: -laughs- you wish.**

**Chapter 2:**

I sat alone in the somewhat spacious room that Jade's guard had escorted me to. The healer had come in earlier and taken care of the liger's scratches in my back and left me feeling as good as new. The Tartarus rattled under my feet as it moved effortlessly across the wide plains of Malkuth. I sighed quietly and looked down to see a a crystal hanging on a thin elastic string hanging around my neck. "?" I picked it up and looked it over interested. I certainly hadn't worn this before Auldrant and I hadn't noticed it up until now. I tried to take it off and discovered that I couldn't quite pull it over my head. With some frustration, I realized that it wasn't coming off no matter what.

Bored, I tried to listen in through the wall to the infamous long haired Luke fon Fabre complain about his life. I only heard the whining tone and Jade's cynical tone afterwards. I gave up on that project and decided to investigate this jewel a little more. It wasn't opaque so I could make a neat little kaleidoscope of it if I tried hard enough. I held it to my ear and heard a faint humming from it which seemed pretty steady. I was debating one whether or not to lick it like it was a candy necklace when the door opened and a soldier walked in.

"Your interrogation will now begin." He stated through the slates in the mask.

"Alright... I thought I was being dropped off at Engave?" I replied innocently.

"Negative. The colonel requests your presence," He saluted and waited for me to get up and follow him out the door. I toddled along behind him acting a little dense and ooh'ed at all of the fonic lights and metallic components in general. When I got into the room, Tear and Luke had been removed and Anise was calling out somewhere down the hall. I clicked my fingers against the table and tried not to light up when Jade walked in.

"Hello, I thought I was being dropped off in Engave?" Jade smiled mischievously and came to the front of the table. I was slightly intimidated by him being so close to me.

"Unfortunately, we had to take a slight detour. I made a telephone call to Rose to inform her that you would be late coming home." He glanced at me. "I never caught your name though."

I stiffened a little and cursed internally at myself for falling into his trap. "Oh, um, call me Star please."

He quirked an eyebrow but didn't comment on the nickname. "Well, what were you doing in Cheagle woods, Star?"

"I went to investigate the cheagle crisis after that snobby rich kid claimed he was going to kill them." Sorry Luke, I know you'll make a 180 personality comeback eventually. Just not now. "I was heading back when your militia came upon me.

"I trust they didn't treat you too roughly?" Jade said as he walked to the door.

"No sir." I followed him with my eyes until he left the room. He came back a moment later as if he had never left.

"Those are some fancy clothes to be checking out cheagles in." He commented. I blushed a little knowing my lie had been horribly constructed. "It's my birthday sir."

"Happy Day of Birth." He opened the door and left it open. "Wouldn't you agree Raven?"

I could practically feel my jaw hit the table when my friend walked in and winked at me. I sighed quietly and closed my eyes, not really sure where to go from here. If I alerted Jade about another world and that I knew future events, he'd probably make me tell it all and then the group may not be so fortunate with their escapes and quick thinking. On the other hand, it could prevent millions of lives from perishing.

"I told him we were ninjas." Raven whispered in my ear. Suddenly, I had a great idea.

"Raven!" I accused loudly putting on my most disappointed face. She seemed a little taken back. "What, I thought it was a good-"

I interrupted her, "No Raven. Now the chief will never accept us into the hidden village again." I whispered angrily. Raven looked back at Jade then turned back to me and grinned slightly.

"I'm sorry. He was scary though~." Raven sighed. "By the way, I met this nice lady. She has little floofies on her head band!"

"Floofies? What?" I asked. Jade listened on amused and looked out the door. "Ah, Ion. Perfect timing, we were just talking about you."

I looked as the petite Fon Master came into the room and smiled gently at us. The instant urge to hug him swelled into my chest but I suppressed it.

"Fon Master!" I exclaimed. "Raven, did you meet Ion?!" I exclaimed. She nodded with a grin. "She's super nice."

"Raven... she is a he." I smiled at her confused look.

"What?" She studied him and whispered into my ear, "Are you sure?" I nodded a little nervous and looked at Jade. He seemed relatively calm but I knew he was looking for an explanation.

I sighed as if defeated, "So perhaps I'm not a farmer. However, I cannot give you the details of my origin. We are sworn to secrecy as ninjas of the hidden village of..." I paused for dramatic effect. "Mizuho."

Jade gave me a look that clearly said 'I can see through your bullshit lie'. I stayed perfectly still and serious until he turned away, "Well seeing as how you're both of no threat to me, you're free to roam the ship as you please. Just don't cause any trouble and we'll drop you off at the border."

"Field trip!" Raven crowed. I smiled and followed her out to the deck. I pulled her aside to the edge where we were far enough away not to be heard.

"Who is that guy? He looks familiar." Raven glanced over her shoulder and watched Jade disappear into the brig.

"This is Tales of the Abyss. That video game I showed you three right before..." We both stared out to the wilderness as we tried to collect what exactly had happened.

"Raven, what happened exactly?" I finally asked.

"I dunno. Maybe it was a vortex into your video game." She grinned, "Who cares though, we're here aren't we?" I nodded and looked out.

"If we're here... do you think that Blaze and Shadow are too?" I paused and frowned.

"Who are you?" I turned and saw Luke fon Fabulous holding his hands to his hips looking down on us like we were peasants. I gave him a high and mighty and Raven gave a low whistle. "You've angered her highness." Raven joked.

"Highness? Are you a noble too? Did Jade take advantage of you too?!" He seemed appalled.

"No no, I'm no noble." I quickly stated. He gave me the frown-upon look again and I shot him back a similar one. Tear sighed quietly at the animosity and looked straight at the jewel around me neck. She made no comment but it looked as if she was making mental notes.

"Then why'd you call her highness?!" Luke snapped.

Raven didn't seem too impressed by the red head. "Because she acts like one. What's your excuse?"

Anise giggled and clung to his arm. "He has the money for it." Her smile turned a little dark. Luke sent her a disgusted look. "Get off, I'm already engaged!"

Raven looked at me and I shook my head in the disappointment that I couldn't tell her he wasn't. "Who'd want to marry him?" She muttered to me. I looked away a little embarrassed that I had to go through this conversation. Tear didn't look too impressed either and we made knowing awkward eye contact. We shared the fact that we looked after people who acted much younger than they actually were. We sighed quietly like mothers and departed taking our 'children' with us.

"Who's that douche?" Raven asked snidely when we were almost out of earshot. Luke whirled around to retaliate before being dragged away by Tear.

"Luke fon Fabre. He's the main character."

"What?! Him?" She made a disgusted face and sighed.

"Yep. He gets better, I promise." We walked back into the dorm area and I suddenly froze when the alarm went off. "Oh no."

"What?" Raven asked. I hurried to a window fretting and I saw the approaching horde of monsters.

"Raven, we need weapons!" I cried with urgency, "NOW!"

"Okay okay, what's the rush?!" Raven asked alarm as I hurriedly went through several rooms looking for something as a weapon. "What's going on?!" She was starting to become as panicked as I felt.

"It's an invasion. We'll be murdered if we don't do anything!" I half cried out. Jade's swift command trying to figure out what was happening drew me to a halt. I heard a thump above us and the cries of someone getting slaughtered. I was in the midst when I heard a clear voice.

"Go to the next room and open the grate. There are several used guns in there."

I turned and swiftly ran to the room tearing through the grate like it was nothing. There, in the bottom, laid a pile of guns that looked worse for wear. I threw one to Raven and grabbed one myself right as the door opened and a Daathic guard lumbered in. Raven shot at him in her panic and gagged quietly when he dropped to the ground with a hole though his neck.

I grabbed her hand quickly and pulled her out of the room as he gurgled quietly. "We have to go!" I took a step around the corner and slammed into Luke and Tear who were coming around.

"Y-you!" He shouted, obviously as terrified as we were. I stared at him in denial and knew Largo would appear at anytime. Jade trotted forward with Anise and looked at us. "Where is Ion?!"

"I-I don't know." I stammered. Jade brushed past us and towards the stairs. "Children should stay out of sight." He commanded. Raven looked like she was about to throw up and I must have been looking as terrified as Luke had. I knew my best chances were to stay with Luke but...

"Luke, stop!" Tear yelled. She was seconds too late and Luke was pinned to the wall by Largo the Black Lion's scythe. I stiffened and Raven gave a little scream of surprise. She aimed the gun at Largo and I quickly held it down before she could shoot him. "Don't!" I shouted. Jade glanced back and I quickly tacked on, "You'll hit someone else."

"Malkuth special forces, Jade Curtis." Largo mused and looked at the two slain guards farther down the hallway, "No, Jade the Necromancer."

"Jade the Necromancer? You're that Jade?" Tear exclaimed. I almost rolled my eyes at how staged this all sounded. Anise was suddenly at my side looking like she wanted to kick herself. I looked up in time to see Largo through the fonslot seal and severely cripple Jade's ability to cast. They lunged at each other and switched positions effortlessly, like a dance. Luke sank to the ground and held his neck where the scythe had hovered over.

"Mieu, fifth fonons now." Jade commanded. The little Cheagle blew fire into the light and shattered it, causing half of us to go blind temporarily. "Anise, get Ion!" There was a slashing sound and a body hit the ground hard.

"You killed him..." I opened my eyes to see Largo laying near my feet with a pained expression. I hopped back horrified and I heard Luke throw up. Raven shortly followed. I always knew she had a bad gag reflex. Hearing it just made me feel sick too.

"There's no time, let's go." Tear urged Luke. He shook his head and batted her hands away. "N-no! He'll kill people!"

"Luke, it's fight or flight!" Tear ushered him to his feet. He shoved her away again and Tear got a little aggravated. "Listen, if you want to stay here, that's fine. Just don't blame me." She spun on her heel and followed Jade out. I pulled Raven with me out the hatch and was almost torn apart by a monstrous hawk. I tried to shoot it but the gun gave a dead little 'click' instead.

I slammed the butt of the gun into its head and started running again, groaning a little at the sharp pricks of pain. It feel over the side of the Tartarus dazed and was crushed by the moving landship. We moved up onto the deck had a small scuffle with two oracle knights. In courtesy to Luke, Tear put them to sleep. She handed me one of their swords and I tossed the useless gun aside.

"Thank you." I mumbled. Raven hoisted her gun up and looked around for anymore soldiers.

"It seems the main fighting is below here. You two, go find a place to hide. Tear, you and I will check on the brig." Jade commanded in a strict voice. Tear nodded along and stood next to the door. She put the oracle knight to sleep next to it and waited for Jade.

"What will I do?!" Luke demanded.

"Stay with those two and keep watch." With that, Jade and Tear jumped into the passage way and a little alarm buzzed off.

"Hmph." Luke beat up Mieu while I tossed the sword around trying to get used to its heavy weight. I heard a small grunt behind us and turned quickly.

"Stay away!" Luke screamed and thrust his sword into the knight. He let go of the sword hilt stared in horror as the knight dropped to the ground.

"Luke!" I called afraid of what would happen next. He screamed in terror and Jade burst out of the door with a fleck of blood on his face. "Luke?"

Tear ran out looking worried. "Luke what happened?!" She demanded. I looked over the brig to see a certain red head running towards the two. To the right, Legretta came running to see if it had been Asch that has screamed. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they only took important prisoners. I was almost in tears. This was scary, I didn't want to be here.

"Throw down your weapon and just die, reject!" Asch yelled and summoned an ice storm above the three. Raven suddenly jerked my arm and pulled me into the cabin on the other side of the deck. I rubbed my eyes and looked out the window to see Legretta and Asch argue. Jade sighed and offered his hands to the knight with the hand cuffs. I saw Jade glance at us before disappearing down the stairs with Luke and Tear. Asch nodded to where we were at and paced over to us with Legretta.

I huddled in the corner quickly and held the sword to my chest as a comfort. Raven aimed the gun at the door and waited.

"Come out here." Asch called. We looked at each other and remained silent. There was silence on the other side before a boot smashed the door open. I shrieked quietly and Raven made a blind shot. It totally missed and the God General walked in calmly.

"They're just kids." Asch sounded disgusted.

"Kids or not, he said to leave no one alive." Legretta replied coldly. She clicked the safety off her gun and aimed one at us. I sniffled and covered my face quickly.

"Don't!" Raven shouted and aimed the gun at her. "I'll shoot you!" Legretta narrowed her eyes.

"Please don't kill us." I mumbled and looked at Asch. He looked as steely as Legretta had and I knew we were done for.

"Strike a deal..." A soft voice whispered in my ear. I blinked and looked at the two.

"Wait! I see it! I am a seer from my village! I can tell you your futures!" I looked at Asch, "And what will happen to the replica." I tried to keep calm at this risky chance but knew my face would betray my fear. Asch looked angry for a split second and Legretta raised an eyebrow.

"...I'm listening."


	3. Chapter 3: Escape

**Yay Chapter 3! X3**

**Legretta: I would've shot you before you had a chance to bargain.**

**ES: I know... I know...**

**Chapter 3:**

We sat down at the table where Jade had first interrogated Luke. However, this time, I was surrounded by hostiles and there was a gun pointing at the back of my head. Asch sat across from me and gave me a scowl, "How much do you know?"

"It only comes to me in waves. And strange words will appear in my head. Kinda like how you when you want to cast a fonic art." I tapped my hands on the desk. "I'm kinda thirsty..."

"Tough." Asch snapped. "Now, tell me my future."

I looked him in the eye and waited to see if he'd break and go get me water. He didn't, so I asked, "Where's Raven? I won't tell you anything if she's dead."

"She's locked up in another room." Legretta assured me and clicked the safety on an off the gun. "I don't see why we should listen to her. It would be like listening to the score."

"Okay... Let's see... I need your hand." I held out mine towards Asch quickly. He scowled, "You sure didn't need it before."

I waited defiantly until he eventually took off his glove and gave me his rough, calloused hand. I stared at it for awhile until he got annoyed. "Are you d-"

"Shh!" I commanded and stared at his hand with my undivided attention. I was really just buying time until Luke woke up and got his act together.

I waited until I felt Asch about to complain and suddenly pointed at Legretta. "Her name starts with an G...Gi..."

"Stick to the red head." Legretta replied sharply. I shut my mouth and looked back at Asch embarrassed. He stared at me coldly until I cleared my throat. "Let's see... You were originally meant to die in Akzeriuth so your father treated you coldly as to not become attached." Asch's eyebrow twitched angrily. He gave me a look that clearly said it was a sore subject for him.

"I'm going to get the fon master." Legretta got up and left the room. I heard the port hatch open in the distance and close sharply.

"Impossible." Asch narrowed her eyes, "Do you have a fon stone embedded into your body? And even then, only the fon master..." I looked away nervously. "N-no, I'm not a living fonstone either."

He went quiet and waited for me to continue. "Um... you will not die from a certain illness." I looked back up to try and see his expression just as the intercom came on. "By my name is the Necromancer, go into operation Corpse Hunt." The lights suddenly shut off and left us in a pitch black room.

"Shit!" Asch cursed and stumble-ran to the door. He threw open the door and ran out quickly. I went to get up until Asch appeared back in the doorway and warned me that he'd hunt me down and kill me if I left.

I awkwardly clicked my fingers as he ran down the hallway again to find Jade and waited until I couldn't hear anything.

"...Time to find Raven!" I leapt out of my seat and ran out of the small room to find my friend.

"Took you long enough." Raven accused and nudged shoulders with me. I smiled and scanned the dark areas for any signs of life. "Sorry."

"It's fine. What did you tell the red head?" She turned the corner and sharply pulled me back when she saw a liger patrolling near the hatch.

"Nothing much..." I whispered quietly and peeked at the liger around the corner with her. We both watched it disappear around the corner finding something a little more interesting. We both took a step around the corner and jumped back alarmed when a bolt of lightning struck in the nearby hall and the liger collapsed into a heap of burnt flesh.

Raven let out a little shriek of surprise when it landed and three figures turned the corner. "S-Star, weapon?!"

"I-I don't have one!" I stuttered. We almost turned tail and ran if it wasnt for an obnoxious voice.

"Of all the people to survive, it had to be those two."

"Luke!" We turned to see Tear scolding Luke crossly. He was staring at the two of us disinterested and even reached up to pick his nose.

"Well...nice to...see you too..." I replied awkwardly and itched my arm. Jade peered out the window as Legretta approached the ship with Ion in tow.

"Luke, be ready. Remember the plan?" He held up his hand waiting as the guard climbing up the long rail.

"I know, I know," Luke replied and held Mieu up. As the door slid open, the little furball spewed a giant fireball into his face. Luke ran down after the knight and used Mieu as a weapon to smack him in the head. The little cheagle gave a mewl of pain and tried to hold his big head.

I watched awe-struck as Jade leapt down, summoning his spear in the split second his foot left the ground. He threw it in a piercing line towards Legretta who dodged just as quickly. He pinned her with the spear moments later and beckoned Tear down. Tear hurried down the step, cursing under her breath when her foot twisted to the side on a step or two. She began singing and attracted the immediate attention of the Daathic major.

"Tear?! Tear Grants?!" Legretta shouted in disbelief.

"Major Legretta!" Tear exclaimed. She uttered a short scream of pain when she was electrocuted by a lightning bolt and tumbled down the steps. Luke made a noise of panic and quickly caught her.

Raven and I turned to see Arietta giving us an evil look as she rode to the hatch with her liger. We were ushered out by the liger and down the steps next to Luke and Tear. The knight that had been whacked earlier was up again and aiming his sword at Luke angrily. He held his hands up and dropped Tear and Mieu in the process. Mieu bounced off the bruised soldier and cried out wondering if she was still okay. I was almost sure if we hadn't been in a perilous situation, she would've died from cuteness.

Legretta spun away from Jade and kicked him over next to the rest of us. He glanced back and I tried to wave encouragement. He didn't notice and turned his attention to Legretta's warning shots.

"Very good Arietta. Now restrain them and..." She squinted her eyes, as if looking for something. "...and we'll lock them up in the-" She was interrupted by the sudden landing of a yellow clad swordsman on her knights. He stole Ion and ran back and in a split second Jade was next to Arietta holding his infamous spear to her neck. Then, he made an amazing block with his slim sword against Legretta's fonon shots.

"Enter the Amazing Guy!" He proclaimed. I felt shivers going up my back. That was kinda, maybe, a little awesome. Raven gave a whoop of excitement at his amazing entrance.

"Drop your weapons and head back to the Tartarus." Jade commanded authoritively. Legretta sighed irritably and headed back up into the giant landship. She turned right and spoke with someone before marching in. Jade marched Arietta to the hatch and shoved the liger in with her. He then quickly typed a code in and the ship shut down.

With a thin smile, he turned and gestured to the long path ahead. "Shall we?"

* * *

I sat by the campfire, keeping quiet with Raven. Guy had been introduced and his phobia revealed. The comedy was almost a relief from the earlier stress of the day. Behind us, Luke was pouting and fuming over the silent treatment the rest of the party had been giving him. Tear laid next to the fire, half asleep, clutching her wounded arm to her body.

The battle itself had been bad. Raven and I had been forced to retreat back to not be a burden. We had to watch Luke fret and then inevitably get Tear hurt. The pressure from the fight had gotten to him and now he was just coming back to the real world. I prodded the crystal necklace gently, wanting to look at it some more without looking obsessed over it. It was embarrassing to sit near your childhood heroes and seem crazy.

"So where do you two come from?" Guy asked warmly. I looked up silently and squinted across the campfire. Strangely enough, the fire didn't bother me as much as the question did. "Mizuho. I don't want to talk about it, really." Guy nodded, looking a little crestfallen at the lack of answer. I would have given him answer but I had a buggy feeling about the whole subject. It just didn't feel...right.

"It's super cool. We have some of the best candy." Raven grinned. She sent me a questioning look when I glared at her.

"What kind of candy?" Tear asked sleepily. She didn't seem too lucid when she asked it but it attracted the attention of a certain red head. I sighed irritably and held my hands closer to the fire.

"Well there's gum, and skittles, M&amp;M's, jolly ranchers-" As Raven listed off all the candy she could think of, I stood up and walked away to get a better look at the necklace in private. I walked to the edge of the camp and sat with my back to the group. Squinting, I checked the grooves and patterns cut into the transluscent crystal using what I could from the fire light. It looked like quartz but it could be as valuable as pink diamond.

I sighed quietly and rubbed it experimentally. I was a little disappointed when nothing happened. I dropped it back onto my chest and sighed again.

_You know, everytime you sigh, you lose a minute of your life._

Í looked up suddenly, aware the voice hadn't come from behind me. I looked up and saw a sudden burst of light. A figure with billowing robes floated down until her feet touched the ground.

"Hello," She smiled brightly, the smile almost matching her radiance, "My name is Yulia Jue."

**End Chapter 3**

**;D It's nice to be back. Sorry about not updating for a year. I promise I'll catch up to where I was in "Abyssimal Adventures" soon enough. I have a poll on my profile regarding said story as well. Please check it out if you have time!**

**Luke: Shameless advertising for a shameless peasant.**

**ES:...**


	4. Chapter 4: Yulia and St Binah

**Sync: Disclaimers are for pansies.**

**Chapter 4: Yulia and St. Binah**

I flinched in surprise at her sudden appearance and scooted back in alarm. Yulia smiled patiently while I had a mini freak out.

"Star, is something wrong?" I whipped my head around to see Ion peering at me curiously. I looked between Yulia and Ion quickly and blushed when Ion became a little more worried, "Are you sick?"

"Oh, u-um, you can't see her?" I asked, glancing at Yulia. She seemed amused and sat in the air like there was an invisible chair under her. I looked at Raven for help but she was too immersed in telling Luke, Tear, and Guy about the wonderful meaning of skittles. Ion smiled on, trying to mask his poorly hidden concern.

"See who?" He asked quietly, coming to stand where I was. He peered into the woods and looked at me for help.

I sat dumb-struck. If Ion, the fon master, couldn't see Yulia Jue, then I must have hit my head too hard on something. Maybe I forgot about it right after I got hit. I smiled back at him and ignored the ghostly figure floating in front of me. "Oh, the fire must have cast a weird shadow I guess..."

After having a small simple chat with me, Ion went back over to the fire and sat next to Guy. Guy seemed a little on edge about Ion sitting next to him, but not as uncomfortable as the time when Tear had rolled over and brushed her hand against his back. I sighed quietly and got up to face the spirit who was still hovering in place. She smiled amused and tilted her head a little, questioning.

"I don't know if you're a figment of my imagination or not," I whispered quietly, "But I'm not going to look like a crazy person, if you catch my drift?" I asked, glancing at Jade. We caught eye contact and I knew he had just witnessed me talking to the air in front of me. I turned away embarrassed.

"Like that?" Yulia snickered, "Fine, let us adjourn away from here. Make an excuse." With that, she disappeared from view. I frowned, not sure if I should follow the apparition or if I should turn in for the night. ...I did have to pee...

"I'm going to the bathroom." I announced. Jade gave me a look that equaled what an adult would give a child when they peed their pants. I huffed quietly at the condescending look and stomped off into the woods. I heard the sound of footsteps following behind me at a distance. When I looked back, I saw Guy approaching, smiling sheepishly.

"Jade told me to follow you in case a monster attacked."

I blushed and put my hands on my hips, embarrassed for the third time this evening. "Stay right here then. I want some privacy. I'll just be right over there." I pointed at a distant oak tree that was big enough around to conceal view.

"No problem." Was his carefree reply. I marched over to the tree and hid behind it. I was about to take care of business when I heard a giggle behind me. I jumped and spun around to see Yulia staring at me amused.

"What are you doing?!" I sputtered. I heard Guy call from his spot asking if I was alright. After reassuring him, I turned back to Yulia. She kept the playful smile on as she observed from the air.

"Could I, um, go to the bathroom first?" She disappeared with a dramatic sigh and I took care of business. In the middle of washing my hands in the nearby stream, she reappeared on the water. The celestial being dipped her toes in but made no ripples.

"Who are you really?" I asked uncertainly.

"Yulia Jue." She responded, "I thought we already went over this."

"Okay Yulia, why can I see you and the fon master couldn't? Perhaps the better question is, 'what' are you." I looked her up and down again suspiciously.

"I am an embodiment of seventh fonons, supplied by Lorelei." She looked at her nails then back up at me. "And you are wearing my vessel." I instantly looked down at the crystal necklace. She smiled again, happy that I got her reference. I was beginning to hate that smile.

"Can anyone else see you?" I asked, squinting my eyes. She tapped her chin and narrowed her eyes in thought. "Tear and Van Grants could probably see me because they're my descendants. Oh, and people who are potential vessel holders." She winked and wagged her finger in my face. "Which includes the four of you."

"But why couldn't Ion... Wait, four? Oh...no..." A horrific thought hit me like a brick, "Four? Raven... Blaze... and Shadow?" I asked warily. Yulia's smile only got wider. "No, they shouldn't be here. Where are they?!" I asked desperately. Yulia only smiled her stupid, calm smile again and disappeared from my vision.

"Star?" I turned around to see Guy approaching me. He smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "You hadn't come back so I got a little concerned."

"Thanks for the thought, Guy," I replied calmly whilst clenching my fists, "Sorry, I wanted to wash my hands." He shook his hands in a dismissive gesture.

"No, it's alright. Just tell me next time. I thought I heard you talking with someone." He smiled sheepishly and I did my best not to narrow my eyes. Guy Cecil was a lot sharper than that. He had probably snuck up quietly and saw me talking to Yulia. But according to what Yulia said, I would look like I was talking to myself.

"I talk to myself sometimes." I replied nonchalantly. "I have to rant to someone that agrees with me, don't I? And who better to agree than myself?" Guy didn't look like he was going to agree but chose not to say anything. Which was a wise decision on his part, if I might add.

"Let's go back." I followed him back to the camp and we sat back down next to the fire. Raven and Jade appeared to be on first watch, chatting about something. I could only cross my fingers and pray she didn't give away anything to the colonel. I was also dying to tell her about Blaze and Shadow. And 'Yulia'.

I sat down by Tear and glared into the fire as I thought about the apparent hero of old Auldrant. She was radiant and transparent, certainly not a solid person. She had mentioned the necklace being a vessel, meaning she was a bound spirit of some sort.

I was broken out of my thoughts when a flash of red caught my eye and a body plopped down next to me. I looked over at the red head sitting next to me, trying to appear laid back and calm. Luke glanced at me before looking back into the fire. "So, fighting huh? Why aren't you helping?" He asked nonchalantly, with a hint of condescension. The pompous tone grated on my nerves a little, unfortunately. That certainly put me in a bad mood.

"I don't currently own a weapon. I've also had next to no combat experience." I stared into the fire and he rolled his eyes.

"Aren't you supposed to be some sort of ninja?" He made an exasperated noise and I became a little more agitated.

"I was... in training." I blushed and looked away. What a flimsy lie. Luke seemed to buy it because three seconds later, I had a wooden sword shoved into my arms. "A hand-me-down." I commented dryly, still bitter about earlier.

"Oh shut up and come with me. I'll give you a lesson. Guy, you come too." He commanded.

"Sure Luke," Guy chirped. I sighed and followed the two out of the camp trying not to appear too tired. I felt an internal groan when I heard the two start arguing about sword fighting styles and which one was better. It was going to be a long night.

I yawned quietly moving sluggishly beside Ion. The diamond formation Jade put the group in consisted of Jade leading, Luke and Tear flanking the sides, and Guy pulling up the rear. Or rather, Guy was lagging at the rear. I would occasionally fall behind and cause him to scramble back a few feet. The fon master seemed to be just as tired, although he hadn't spent his night practicing swordsmanship. Luke would try to tell me one thing while Guy would be controversial and tell me another.

I lazily swatted a giant bee in Jade's direction and he took care of it without ever looking back. I thanked the fact that at least one person had good battle experience. Although his fonslots were sealed, it didn't mean he had forgotten past skirmishes.

When we finally came upon the doomed city, I almost thanked God out loud. Jade motioned for the rest of us to gather behind the wall as to not be spotted by the guards. Luke perked when he saw an Engave wagon coming down the road some ways away, out of the soldiers view. He sprinted down to it and threw himself in front of it. Rose looked like she was going to have a heart attack right there. She reigned her horses and gave Luke a stern look. Her angry face melted when she recognized him.

"Oh, Luke! Is that you?" She asked. I sighed at her slight accent, though I didn't understand why it bothered me.

After some smooth talking, the gang hid in the back of the wagon. Raven and I stayed out when there was no room left, promising to get into St. Binah as well. As I tried to think of a way to get in, Raven tugged on my sweater dress's sleeve.

"Hey Star-"

"Not now Raven." I dismissed the tug. I felt her suddenly punch my arm and I rubbed it. "Ow?!" She pointed at the low hanging boards underneath the wagon and I understood. "Oh..."

We crawled under the wagon and wrapped ourselves around the boards. It was like crawling on the monkey bars upside down. The wagon started moving and met some conflict at the gate.

"This is the second wagon from Engave. The first one should have arrived earlier." Rose told the guards. "It's just food."

The guard said after a minute of hesitation,"You may go through." I let out a quiet sigh of relief when the dirt turned to pavement. I dropped to the ground and crawled out to the other side of the old wagon. I dusted myself and Raven off and ran my hands through now extremely tangled hair.

"See, we're ninjas." I told her snidely. She grinned cheekily and we waited for the wagon to pull away. Tear and Luke spotted us instantly.

"How'd you get in here?!" Luke exclaimed, clearly mind blown. I smirked smugly, feeling like a sore winner.

"We're ninjas, remember?" Raven replied, stretching and grinning at him playfully. Jade smirked and pointed to by pants. I looked at them and quickly wiped all the dirt off them before anyone else noticed.

"Well we, Raven and I, are going to go get shoes and supplies, maybe some weapons. Would you like me to get some supplies for you?" I asked, holding my hand out for gald. Jade smiled and handed me a measly 300 gald. Just enough for..

"2 apple gels and an orange gel." He said. I sighed, looking at my own 25 gald. I could maybe afford a night at the inn. No shoes, armor, or new weapons were going to be bought today. I held back a hiss of annoyance before a small bag suddenly landed in my hand. I looked up to see Guy smiling.

"Go get some better supplies. You'll need it if you're planning on travelling with us." He winked and I smiled, grateful for the extra cash. I wish my older brother were more like Guy.

"Come on Raven, let's see what kind of weapons they have." I pulled her into the small item shop and used Jade's money to buy the gels. Next, we stopped in a outfit store and bought two leather chest plates that could be fitted under the clothes. I sighed quietly when I saw all the shoes there were overpriced. I wouldn't be able to afford them and a weapon for Raven and myself. Finally, we stopped at the weapon store. Raven and I both turned away when we noticed two oracle knights at the counter. I checked the price tag of an ax absently and Raven whistled inconspicuously as she slid her finger along the edge of a sword.

"We just want a discount!" The oracle knight exclaimed. The shop owner crossed her arms stubbornly and shook her head.

"I said no. I don't do discounts. If you want a discount, come back when you're not ruining my business." She snapped. The two glared angrily at each other for a moment before the oracle knights strode out muttering under their breath. I waited until both were away before turning to the shop owner.

"Has it always been like this?" I asked quietly, coming to stand by the counter. Raven wheezed quietly when she tried to pick up an ax too heavy for her. The shop owner flicked her head in the direction of the door with a scowl.

"No, we've been on lock-down ever since a military commander went missing. Apparently he was harboring fugitives." I snorted quietly and coughed quietly to cover it up. The shop owner raised her eyebrow, "So, what can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you had anything better than this." I dropped the blood soaked wooden sword on the counter. She clicked her tongue and examined the sword with an experienced eye. "Oh, and something for my friend." I pointed my thumb at Raven. I heard her laboriously put the ax back in place and walk over to the counter.

"Preferably something light." She chirped. The shop owner turned and started examining the weapons behind her.

"How pricey?" She asked. I dumped the remaining gald into my hand and counted it out quickly.

"As cheap as it will go. Did you ever get a surplus of military equipment perhaps?" I looked out at the military district of St. Binah wondering if they would sell mass produced weapons to civilians. She nodded and walked into the back of the store. A few seconds later, she appeared with a dual pair of fontech guns and a flimsy looking iron sword.

"They might not look like anything much, but they do handle well." I smiled and took the sword, thanking her. It was almost as flimsy as it looked, but I get what I paid for. I handed over the rest of the money we were given and thanked her again for the 'discount'. Raven and I exited the shop and headed towards the inn.

"So, where did that come from?" Raven asked, looking at the crystal necklace. I frowned and examined it as she prattled on about how pretty trinkets were nice to look at but were too expensive. I rolled my eyes; usually I was the one lecturing her.

"Okay, first let's go see if there's a spare room at the inn and then we'll-" I looked up to see Luke frantically waving at us to hide. I pulled Raven behind a sign and peeked out to see what they were staring at. I saw 3 of the infamous god generals scanning the entrance of St. Binah, conversing with the knights. There was a shriek of laughter from above and I knew just who made that laugh, making 4 of the 6 god generals.

""Ahahahahahahaha, that's why I told you." A velvet chair floated into view toting a man with bright pink hair. "That filthy Jade can only be beaten by the one and only Dist the rose." I snickered at Raven's expression that clearly read, 'who the hell is this guy'.

"Is he gay? There's no way he's not... Oh my god, is that purple lipstick?" I clamped my hand over Raven's mouth before any of the God Generals could hear. In turn, she licked my hand, causing me to recoil it in disgust.

"You mean Dist the reaper." Sync interjected flatly.

"How is one so beautiful as myself a reaper and not a rose." Dist said incredulously. He pushes his glasses up to the bridge of his nose, making it look like he was breathing air in from an inhaler. I laughed lowly, feeling pity for the poor man.

"He's gay." Raven confirmed, shaking her head. I knew she was never going to drop her declaration either.

"There's no point in dwelling on the past. What should we do Sync?" Legretta asked finally cutting Dist off.

The man seemed to take a personal hit from this, "We shou-"

"Withdraw the troops from St. Binah and Engave." Sync answered. He turned towards Dist and smirked crookedly.

"Hey…" Dist called out feeling dejected. He glared at Sync and pulled a small journal out of the chair, scribbling in it violently. "This is going in my revenge journal."

Largo rolled his eyes and sighed, looking the part of oldest in the group. I found it slightly amusing that the God Generals turned to the youngest member of their group for strategic advice. I bet he was a great chess/checkers player.

"Agreed. Let's get going. I bet Jade would've pushed them on farther. If not, we can have Arietta's monsters hunt them down." Largo crossed his arms. "Deal?"

"Hmph, sounds fine with me." Sync looked at the others. With a nod, the four split up and walked away from the entrance of St. Binah. I slowly climbed out from behind the sign with Raven and met up with the Jade gang. We agreed that staying in the city where Arietta's monsters couldn't infiltrate as easily would be for the best.

"Star, can we go get some food?" Raven whimpered. "I'm hungry."

"Sure Raven." I looked at the rest and bowed in apology. "I suppose we'll be eating out then. We'll meet you in the inn later?" I asked, handing Jade's gels over. He checked the bag and looked through to make sure the three gels were the right flavor.

"Yes, room 117." He handed me another small bag. "There's left over gald." He pushed up his glasses, "I trust that you'll be joining us in battle tomorrow. We'll need fed fighters. Make sure to pick up some more bread for sandwiches." I checked the contents and smiled. Jade never missed a beat. There was just enough for food and nothing more.

"Thanks." I turned and walked off with Raven to the nearest noodle shop. I ordered some discount udon and Raven ordered beef ramen. I sighed happily when food was set in front of me a few minutes later and began devouring it. I set the money beside my bowl as I chowed down. Raven eagerly gobbled hers down faster than I could keep track of. She peered up at me and grinned.

I rolled by eyes and in the middle of it I caught a flash of green and black. I did a double take and saw Sync the Tempest, not only in St. Binah but coming towards the noodle shop with a frown set on his face. Behind him, barely visible, Arietta toddled, hugging her stuffed animal close to her.

I got up in an awkward shuffle and slid the cash frantically. Grabbing Raven's arm, I tried to turn and walk away in the opposite direction quickly. However, my sweater dress snagged a chair and my shoe-less feet got tangled in the chairs. I went down as quickly as I had got up. The other patrons of the shop looked at me curiously and Raven snickered, turning back to her ramen without moving an inch.

There was a quiet shuffle and a shadow loomed over me. I looked up and saw Sync the Tempest frowning down at me.

"Going somewhere?"

**Sorry for any inconveniences. **


End file.
